Fragmented Memories
by Sesiyrus
Summary: This is the story of FFVII how I personally perceived it, it isn't meant to offend the beliefs or interpretations of others or their stances on the Love Triangle. Cloti, Clerith. Some Angst but mostly Fluff
1. An angel in sector seven

He twitched when he heard a noise, the sound of two guards talking amongst themselves by the train. "So who's that guy?" He could only assume they were talking about him, he didn't see anyone else around here. He was panting heavily, still damp from having walked through the rain at one point. He was wearing a soldier uniform, it was covered with blood and dirt, his fingers were raw from dragging his sword all the way to this point. "No idea, I heard of something much more interesting anyway. I heard some guys talking in Sector Six about an Angel in Sector Seven, apparently they saw a really beautiful girl, and here in the slums." The guard crossed his arms.

"Really? In Sector Seven? There isn't shit to do out there in Sector Seven though, you'd think she'd be spotted at the Honeybee..." The guard trailed off when the other one gestured for him to stop, a girl was walking closer to them, and she was breathtakingly gorgeous. "Excuse me, I wanted to ask if either of you have seen any Shinra personnel in the area..." She said with a voice of a delicate angel. "Y-Yeah, actually. That guy over there is in a SOLDIER uniform, right?" The guard nudged the other to get him to speak, he'd been staring at her mindlessly. "Uh yeah, guy right over there." He pointed.

"Thank you." She smiled and turned her gaze slightly, wondering what SOLDIER would be doing down here, she couldn't have them finding out where AVALANCHE had their headquarters. She walked over to the man slumped down, she frowned when she saw the traces of dried blood on the dirty uniform. The first intention she had coming this way and asking for Shinra personnel was to avert their attention from Sector Seven, but as she witnessed this mans condition she couldn't help but take pity on what appeared to be a very injured man.

'SOLDIER or not we're all still people...' She lent down and got a better look at the blond haired man, "Excuse me, are you alright?" She asked gently, checking for any fresh blood on the uniform. He looked up, his eyes widened slightly when he found himself staring into beautiful amber brown eyes. An angel with soft and delicate features, long dark hair contrasted to a pale complexion. Her voice filled with genuine compassion as the words left her lips, his fingers twitched as he stared at her, something in him stirred and it felt like a pain exploded in his chest and his vision burned white as he struggled through the emotions surging through him, but he never looked away from her eyes.

"Tifa?" He whispered. She stared at him for a moment, then she blinked, "Cloud...?" She murmured in slight disbelief. "Cloud is that really you?" Cloud sat up quickly, brushing himself off. "Yeah, I'm Cloud." He nodded. "Cloud... Well, are you alright?" Tifa asked with concern still laced in her words as she looked him over, he didn't appear injured. "Yeah, of course." Cloud nodded, Tifa frowned but nodded, turning away for a minute, It had been so long since she'd given up ever seeing Cloud again. Unnoticed to her, Cloud twitched and lifted his fingers to his face, twitching and clenching his fists tightly, his fingernails digging into his skull as pain filled his head and white intensity obscured his vision and burned into him, a high-pitched screeching in the back of his head made him tremble visibly.

He lowered his hands and regained himself before Tifa turned her gaze back to him, "How long has it been, Cloud?" She asked trying to remember the last memory she had, she remembered their promise at the well just fine, a few moments talking to each other here or there. 'Cloud still left that year though, to become a SOLDIER, that's right.' Tifa realized Cloud attained what he set out to do, as he was wearing a Shinra SOLDIER uniform. She caught herself smiling but a complicated emotion bloomed within her, she hated the Shinra, they took away everything she held dear. "It's been... Five years... Since I last saw you..." Cloud murmured, he didn't think it was possible for Tifa to get anymore beautiful than she already was back when they were kids. "Really...?" Tifa frowned, she remembered what happened five years ago though, five years ago her heart withered away and was burned by Sephiroths flames, her home, her family, and all her dreams went with it, including those of Cloud, her knight in shinning armor. She never expected to see him again, but here he was.

"I guess it's just been... A really long time..." She said softly, something was strange about Cloud. "So you got your wish, you're a SOLDIER?" She asked, unable to hide the small frown forming on her lips. Cloud scowled, an adamant feeling of disgust for Shinra grew in his chest, "No, Ex-SOLDIER." He crossed his arms. "Ex-SOLDIER?" She blinked. "I'll never forgive the Shinra." Cloud said confidently, crossing his arms. Tifa found herself smiling, his words mirrored her own feelings. "Really? So what does an Ex-SOLDIER do?" She asked curiously, a light tone to her voice now, feeling like a painful memory had been erased from her mind. "Anything. If the price is right." He shrugged. "Hmm, I think I might have something you could be interested in..." She said intently, looking around the train stationed and shaking her head, "But we can't talk about it here, come with me?" She asked somewhat uncertainly, she turned her gaze to make sure the guards at the station weren't on to them.

Cloud's head felt like it was going to explode, he clutched it painfully, hunching over and clenching his jaw to stop himself from screaming as white hot pained surged through him. When Tifa turned back he seemed fine though, appearing to not have been in pain at all, but it still coursed through him like fire, but he wouldn't show it. Not to Tifa. Never to Tifa. He stared at her somewhat mesmerized by her beautiful features, she seemed to stare at him with mild confusion on her face. "Are you sure you're alright?" She asked again. "Yeah, let's get going, I want to see whatever it is you think I'd be interested in." Cloud said lightly, crossing his arms. "Alright..." She nodded, something was definitely off, this was certainly Cloud but he wasn't anything like the Cloud she knew.

Something felt off about him, and it just didn't make sense, but it has been a very long time since they last spoke, Tifa concluded it was possible this was just how Cloud had changed. That answer didn't satisfy her though, she wanted to make sure he was alright, she wanted to be around him again, she missed Cloud. She looked over at him as they walked towards Sector Seven, she knew she should be rejoicing, that her heart should be swelling with happiness and this was the perfect situation, one she would have only though possible in her dreams.

Yet for some reason her heart felt as if it was breaking as she stared at Cloud, a chill running down her spine and a guard forming the instant she realized the deep nature of her anxiety. No matter how she tried to rationalize it, she just knew there was something wrong with him, and she didn't want to lose him again.


	2. The flower blooming in the slums

The slums were a dark and destroyed place, it was devoid of life and innocence, or so he thought. As Cloud walked the streets at night, heading back to the AVALANCHE headquarters, against the grey colors of the rotting slums, a beautiful girl was brushing the side of her dress and picking herself up off the ground, a basket of healthy looking flowers in hand. He felt his heart momentarily stop as the vibrant green eyes locked with his, within them he could almost feel life pulsing from their radiance, glowing with an ethereal shine. He regained his thoughts as he noticed she was coming closer to him, "Excuse me, has something happened?" She asked curiously.

"Not really... " He answered shortly and eyed the flowers. "Are you looking at these? You almost never see them in the slums right? Only one gil." She offered the yellow flower, Cloud nodded quickly and fumbled to pull a single gil out of his pocket, taking the offered flower from her outstretched hand. Cloud couldn't help but keep staring into this gorgeous girls enchanting eyes, and his heart skipped a beat when she smiled gently at him. "Thank you so much!" She said blissfully, she almost never had customers these days. Clouds eyes hadn't left hers from the moment they met, as she walked away she looked back at him, the connection finally broken when she turned her head and continued down the streets.

Cloud watched as she left, he couldn't help but think of the beautiful girls image against the monotone colors of the slums as somewhat iconic. As she walked amongst criminals, thugs, and these poverty stricken people, she appeared like a flower breaking through the grey and chipped concrete, jutting out and growing despite it's odds, despite it's placement. The image of the girl's smile was burned into his brain, he held the flower up and smiled softly, if that smile only cost him one gil it was worth it. "Maybe next time I'll buy the whole basket." He muttered thoughtfully to himself, putting the flower away and continuing his way to the AVALANCHE headquarters, or better known as The Seventh Heaven, Tifa's bar.

Most of AVALANCHE was more than likely there by now, and Tifa was there waiting for him, probably worrying over him. He clenched his fist slightly, he didn't want to come off as weak, or a failure, that was the last thing he wanted anyone to think of him, especially Tifa. Cloud snapped out of his thoughts when he realized he never even caught the name of the beautiful girl he'd bought this flower from, not that he expected to ever see her again. He smiled when he ran his finger along the stem of the flower tucked away safety, he certainly wasn't opposed to it though.

The second he entered the bar, Marlene almost mistook him for her father, she shyly ran to the back of the bar when she realized her mistake. Tifa walked over to her then turned to Cloud, "Cloud, it's good to see you're alright." She walked closer to him, she noticed the flower. "Oh, you found a flower? You never see them growing in the slums!" Tifa said somewhat surprised. Cloud wasn't entirely sure what he'd do with a flower, he smiled and held it out to Tifa, "For me? Cloud... You shouldn't have..." Tifa blushed slightly and took the flower, she smiled and laughed, feeling similar to the night Cloud called her out to the well.

"It smells wonderful! I should fill the whole bar with flowers." She said cheerfully, Cloud nodded, and he knew where he'd like to buy the flowers from.


End file.
